Surviving in Arizona is getting harder now that the real estate market is tightening. A few years ago it was easy to rent a two-bedroom house in Maricopa County for just $1000, but not any longer. There are hordes of people leaving California and coming here because they can no longer afford to live in the Golden State. We have similar weather in central Arizona compared to California, and there are always places like Flagstaff to the north if you want even milder temperatures or mountainous regions. I’m perfectly content living in the Valley of the Sun, whether it’s in Phoenix, Maricopa, Mesa, or in my current apartment that is on the edge of Scottsdale. I’m near the Arizona Falls at the Arizona Canal and love riding my bike there on the weekends. Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to have my central air conditioner replaced and upgraded with a system that has a better SEER rating. The apartment board discussed new air conditioners a few years ago, but I don’t remember hearing any updates about the decision in the time since. Temperatures in Phoenix easily get up to 110 degrees in the summer so a strong air conditioner is a must for survival. After the new air conditioner was installed in my apartment, I could feel the difference in the strong current of cold air coming from my ceiling vents. I’m thrilled with my new air conditioner and ready for anything this summer has to throw at me as far as temperatures are concerned. It might get up to 115 degrees this summer like it did in Washington state last summer.